Chicago to Omaha

[aricat]

The only really dedicated Omaha - Chicago passenger service in the 1960's was offered by Rock Island and Burlington. Burlington offered the Nebraska Zephyr which left Omaha at 10:55AM and arrived 9:15PM into Chicago and the Ak-Sar- Ben Zephyr which left Omaha at10:30 PM and arrived at Chicago at 7:50 AM. Westbound Chicago Nebraska Zephyr left at 11:00 AM and arrived at Omaha at 9:15 PM. Westbound Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr left Chicago at 10:00PM and arrived Omaha at 7:45 AM. Rock Island's Corn Belt Rocket left Omaha at 10:45AM and arrived at 8:30 PM into Chicago. The Rocky Mountain Rocket Left Chicago at 12:40 PM and arrived at Omaha at 10:30 PM. The Rock Island also operated Train No 9 which left Chicago at 9:00 PM and arrived in Omaha at 8:00 AM. This train carried a Rock Island sleeping car which only operated as far as Des Moines(arrives into Des Moines at 4:25 AM). The Ak-Sar-Ben Zephyr operated Pullman sleeping cars through to Omaha.

The Milwaukee's service to Omaha was nocturnal. You could ride the City of Denver from Chicago to Omaha westbound and arrive in Omaha before midnight. The Arrow was an overnight operation both east and westbound. The eastbound Arrow would offer a Pullman sleeper to Omaha passengers which could be boarded at Manilla Iowa at 9:50 PM easbound with an 8:50 AM arrival in Chicago. Westbound, however, Omaha passengers would arrive in Manilla Iowa at 5:20AM and have to ride the the final part of the trip coach. The sleeper assigned to the Arrow ran Chicago- Sioux City and Soiux Falls. I used an April 1964 timetable.